Bread slicing machine



Aprifi 2;, 194% H J, QRINER 2,195,,fi41

BREAD SLICINYG MACHINE Original Filed NOV. 6, 1937 1 g] IR 3 W INVENTOR.

@ BY 33 M M,

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 2,; 1940 UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE Bl mp sucnvc, moms Harry J. Criner, Davenport, Iowa, assignor of onehalf to A. G. Bush, Davenport, Iowa Original application November 6, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application February 13, 1939, Serial No.--256,052

20 Claims. (oi. 146-88) This application is a divisional application to cover certain features shown but not claimed in .my Patent No. 2,150,426 dated March 14, 1939, for Bread slicing machine, and co-pending herewith.

My invention is applicable to bread slicing machines of the endless'band-blade type having a plurality of band-blades having spaced parallel cutting courses and also to a band-blade slicing- 10. machine utilizing a single band-blade reeved about the pulleys in Figure 8 form and having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses.

The objects of my invention are to provide means by which the spacing of a plurality of such cutting courses may be changed uniformly by means which will not only adjust the spacing of the blades through their cutting courses, but

which will also act to space the portions of' the blades in contact with the spaced pulleys.

Also to provide a spacing mechanism which will be positive and which will cause the spacing members to move simultaneously as well as uniformly and avoid any danger of injury to the blades from coming in contact with each other during their lateral movement upon the pulleys.

3 Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail view of an alternate means for retracting the movable members, employing a compression spring to retract them; Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the shaft in section and shows a side view of one-of the spacing members-or units mounted thereon;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail plan view of a part of the lower series of spacing members, with 5 slotted fingers secured therein in section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figures '7 and 7a showside and end views of one-of the spacing rings, with pin for securing same to its shaft; I Figures 8 and 8a show edge andpside elevations of one of the steel washers or separators,

,QSimiIar numerals, refer to similar parts "throughout the several views, Inf-order to -accomplish the change of position o'of the blades lengthwise-lot. the pulleys, and to do itsmooth ly, and to avoid adjacent blades coming in contact with each other and causing breakage or damage to the cutting edges of the blades, it is, necessary toprovide means which will cause the travel of all of the blades to take 6 place simultaneouslyand which will prevent any one blade moving faster or farther than any blade adjacent thereto. To be sure that such travel of the blades occurs simultaneously as well as uniformly, it is necessary to provide positively l0 driven means for actuating the blade guides and to avoid the irregularity of movement which I may be produced by the springs or other resilient means heretofore inserted between the successive blade guides to exert pressure thereon in oppo- 16 site directions.

When such springs are used intermediate the successive guide members of an entire series, and the movement of the entire series is accomplished V in one direction by exerting pressure upon both 20 endsof the series toward the middle and in the other direction by the springs inserted between the adjacent guide members, it is obvious that, when, pressure is exerted upon the opposite ends of the series toward the middle, the movement of 2d the guide members will be successive and not simultaneous; that is, the movable end member, where-only one end is movable, will be moved to-. ward the rigid end member and by pressure upon the adjoining member, will cause such adjoining member to move. Thus the pressure and move- -ment will begin at one end and travel through the entire series; and, while the ultimate result may be and if the springs are properly propors tioned-will be to space the various members in the series uniformly, this spacing will not .take

place simultaneously. A similar situation occurs where the middle member of any group is rigidly .flxed to the shaft and the members from both the guide members, they will .all move simultaneously as well as uniformly and any irregularity of movement will be overcome by the posi-' tive driving action of the threaded spacing rings and supporting. members hereafter described.

linsome of the,claims I use the term I tively-..to mean that the adjusting movement of u the blade guide members and the force producing such movement are in the direct control of the plied automatically between the guide members without the operators control. This meaning applies to the use of this term in connection with the adjusting movement of the individual guide members of either set and either toward or away from each other. It applies also to the forms shownin both Figures 2 and 4. The term positively is thus used to clearly limit and differentiate the apparatus claimed from the guides actuated in one direction by intermediate springs as shown in applicants Patent No. 2,110,290, and the reasons requiring such positively actuated guide members are set out in applicant's amendment dated June 9, 1939.

As applied to a bread slicing machine of the band-blade type, my invention comprises a designed to mesh therewith.

threaded shaft, I 6 or a pair of spaced shafts lS-l8 revolvably mounted in the frame of a machine.

which the shafts are revolvably mounted with projecting ends upon which hand wheels l5|'| may be secured to rotate theshafts l6 and I8.

Each shafthas 'a slot or groove, 3032 cut therein extending lengthwise of the shaft. A suitable stop 4a may be mounted upon the shaft and secured by a pin or other suitable means.

Upon each shaft I mount a plurality of spacmg rings 28 each of which is provided with a central bore 28' fitting smoothly upon the shaft and enabling it to slide longitudinally thereon freely. Each spacing ring has means, such as a pin 35, united thereto, the inner end of which fits in and is slidable in the groove 3032 of the shaft and prevents the rotation of the spacing ring relative to the shaft.

The periphery of each spacing ring is threaded with a relatively fine thread 28" (preferably of a gauge permitting 24 to 48 threads per lineal inch of theshaft).

Upon the shafts Iii-l8 respectively I mount a series of supporting members 2'I--,-2'l' each of which has a central bore of a diameter corresponding to the diameter .of the spacing rings 28. These bores are provided with internal threads 28?." (Figure 6) which are complementary to the external threads 28" of the spacing rings 28 and The supporting members and spacing rings may be of any desired length or thickness, as shown in Figure 8, and of such proportions that when the spacing rings are entirely screwed into their corresponding supporting members, the blade guides'will hold the blades about threeeighths of an inch apart and when the rings are unscrewed to the full distance permitted by the stops. he guides will hold the blades about half an inch apart. In common practice the most desired thicknesses for slices of bread have been found to run within these limits.

In assembling each series of guides, each spacing ring isscrewed just half way into the bores of one of the supporting members before being be contracted.

In order to permit the spacing rings to force Hubs 4 and '5 united to the frame may be utilized, having bores formed. therein in the supporting members apart when the shafts.v

l6--l8 are turned in the opposite direction, I mount between one end of each spacing ring and the supporting member adjacent thereto, a wash:

er 36, which may be of. thin steel or other suit able material. These washers are provided with bores 3'! which permit them to slide freely uponthe shafts Iii-l8, but are too small to permit the spacing rings 28 to enter them., Thus the free end of each spacing ring abuts against the washer adjacent thereto while its opposite end is screwed into the next succeeding supporting member.

- When proportioned as above described, the threaded portions of the rings in contact with the supporting members, in combination with the washers, will afford a firm support for the supporting members and the guide fingers united thereto.

I use the term ends as applied to the spacing rings to designate the flat surfaces thereof. The outermost supporting member of each series may bear against the block 24 or 25 or against the spring 31a, and the innermost supporting member of each series may be held stationary and kept in fixed position by the hubs 4 .or 5 or the stops 4a.

In order to prevent rotation of the supporting members 2121' upon the shafts carrying them, I prefer to form integral with each supporting member an extension 21", which has a bore 21a formed therein adapting it to be mounted and to slide freely upon a non-rotatable shaft I9l9' one end of which may be secured in the hubs 45 so as to extend transversely of the machine parallel to the shaft [8. v

The outer end of the shaft l8 may be provided with threads of about one inch pitch for each inch in diameter of the shaft, and an internally threaded sleeve or block .mounted upon the threaded end formed with an extension to embrace and slide upon the shaft l9 or the sleeve may be provided with a handle and manually I operated by said handle.

In Figure 2 is shown a sleeve 25 provided with a beveled face which bears against a stop-block 22 having a beveled flange 22 united thereto which corresponds to the beveled face 33 of the sleeve 25. The sleeve 25 is provided with an members in the form of slotted fingers, but-it is obvious that any desired form of guide may be united thereto or the supporting members themselves may be sufliciently enlarged to contact the blades and may be slotted to receive them.

It will be noted that with the forms shown in iii Figure 2, the end sleeves or blocks, 24' and 25 travel along the shaft whenever it is rotated by the handwheel IS a distance equal to the sum of the distances of the travel of all of the spacing members upon that particular shaft and that this movement is automatic in both directions.

Another formfor automatically retracting the spacing members is shown in Figure 4 and consists of a spring 31a mounted upon the end 'of the shaft l8 one end of which bears against a pin 88 and the other end of which bears against members when the shaft is so turned as to cause,

the spacing rings to be.turned so as to re-enter, more or less, the supporting members,

In order to synchronize the spacing of the spacing members uponboth the upper and lower shafts, any of the means of so doing in common use for similar purposes may be utilized, one form of which is shown in my application Serial No. 171,866, filed October 30, 1937, and upon which Patent No. 2,126,987 issued August 16, 1938.

In the operation of my invention, the apparatus embodying it is first assembled by inserting the pins 35 in the respective spacing rings, 28 and then screwing the spacing rings 28 into their,

corresponding spacing members 21 until the edges .coincide. The spacing members 21 with the spac- 'Between the successive spacing members, the flat steel washers 36 are inserted and slid upon the shaft I8.

The sleeve 24 is likewise mounted upon the shaft l8 and secured in its desired position, and the extensions 21" are then slid upon the end of the shaft 19.

The shafts l8 and i9 are then inserted in the corresponding bores in the hub 5 and the handwheel I! is secured upon the end of the shaft 18 and the shaft l9 secured in place by a pin.'

The cutting blades H- are then mounted upon the pulleys 8 and 8 in crossed or figure 8 form and the blades inserted in the slots of the fingers 3| and 3|. The blades are then tightened by the eccentric l2 and the machine is then ready to start.

The pulleys 8 and 9 are cylindrical in form=and of uniform diameter throughout the entire length utilized to drive or carry the blades. With "the pulleys so formed and when arranged as described, the lateral pressure of the guides upon the cuttinglcourses'of the blades will not only act to guide the blades in the desired position throughout their cutting courses, but will also cause them to travel on the pulleys 8' and 8 to distances corresponding to the movement of the blade guides. This movement of the blades upon the pulleys '8 and 9 may be accomplished whilethe machine is running and without loosening the blades, but can be accomplished with a little less strain on the blades by loosening or reducing the tension on the blades by the eccentric I2 and the handle l3 sufficiently to facilitate the blade movement on the pulleys.

After the blades have made the desired move;-

ment, the tension of the blades can again be brought to normal by the eccentric l2 and its 1. In a bread slicingm'achiney'the combination with a plurality of crossed band saws, of sup porting and driving pulleys therefor, sets of saw guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the reaches of the crossed saws at opposite sides of their slicing zones and adjacent thereto and-comprising fingers slotted to receive the saws, means for positively, simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said saw*5 guide-members laterally" toward or away from each other while the pulleys are in rapid motion, said pulleys being common'to the severalsaws and the saw supporting surfaces thereof being of uniform diameter from end to end whereby said saws automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of said saw guide-members, and guiding means for the bread;

to be sliced whereby it is presented .to said saws between the said sets of saw guide-members.

2. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of crossed band saws, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, spaced sets of saw guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact withthe reaches of the crossed saws at opposite sides of their slicing zones and adjacent thereto and comprising fingers slotted to receive, guide, space, and, to a limited extent, twist the saws, and means for positively, simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said saw guide-members of a given set laterally toward or away from each other while the pulleys are revolving, said pulleys being common to the several saws and the saw. supporting surfaces thereof being of uniform diameter from end to end whereby said saws automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of said saw guide-members. Y

3. In a bread slicing machine,,the combination with a plurality of crossed, band saws, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, spaced sets of sawguide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the reaches of the crossed saws, and means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said saw guide members to and from each other while the pulleys are revolving, said pulleys being common to the several saws and the saw supporting surfaces thereof being of uniform dimensions from end to end whereby said saws' automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of the saw guide-members.

4. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of band saws, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, saw guide members disposed intermediate said'pulleys to coact with the reaches of the saws at points substantially snags 2i from their pulleys and comprising fingers slot to receive the saws, and means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said saw guide-members to and from each other while the pulleys are revolving, said pulleys being common to the several saws-and the saw supporting sur'-' posed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said cutting courses at opposite sides of their cro sing zone and adjacent thereto, comprising means to receive and twistwithin certain limits simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guidemembers toward and away from each the blade courses severally, means for positively other while the pulleys are revolving, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being, cylindrical and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves upon the pulleys upon the adjustment of said blade guide-members, and guiding means for the bread to be sliced whereby it is presented to said cutting courses between the sets of blade guide-members.

6. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate the driving pulleys, sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said 7 cutting courses at opposite sides of their crossing zone and adjacent theret'o, comprising fingers slotted to receive and guide the blade courses severally, and means for positively simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide members toward and away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blade reachesand the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform diameter from end to lend whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves upon the pulleys upon the adjustment of said blade uide-members.

7. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving leys being common to the several blade reaches.

andthe blade supporting surfaces of said pul- 'leys being cylindrical and of uniform diameter on having a plurality of. spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate said pulleys sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said cutting courses and guide the blades therein, and means for positively simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide-members toward and away from each other, said pulleys'being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby 1 said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves upon" the pulleys upon the adjustment of said blade guidemembers while the pulleys are revolving.

- 9. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair, I spaced supporting and driving pulleys, or band-blade slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate'said pulleys sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said cutting courses at points substantially spaced from the pulleys and comprising fingers slotted to receive and guide the blade courses severally, and means for positively simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide-members toward and away from each other while the pulleys are revolving, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves upon the pulleys upon the adjustment of said .blade guide-members.

10. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate said pulleys sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said blade cutting courses at opposite sides of their crossing zone and adjacent thereto, comprising fingers slotted .to receive and guide the blade courses severally, means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guidemembers toward and away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of said blade guide members while the pulleys are revolving, and guiding means for the bread to be sliced whereby it is presented to said blades between the sets of blade guide-members.

11. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate the driving pulleys, sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said blade cutting courses at opposite sides of their crossing zone and adjacent thereto, comprising means to' receive and guide the blades in their cutting courses severally, and means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide-members toward and away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being smooth, regular, and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby said ,blade reaches automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of said blade guide-members while the blades are in motion.

12. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting courses crossing intermediate the driving pulleys, sets of blade guide members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said blade' cutting courses, and means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide-members toward and away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment of said blade guidemembers.

13. In a breadslicing machine, the'combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driv-.

ing pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted'thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel draw them nearer together to reduce the blade cutting courses crossing intermediate the driving pulleys, spaced sets of blade guide-members disposed intermediate said pulleys to coact with the said blade cutting courses at points substantially spaced from'the pulleys and comprising fingers slotted to,receive the blade courses severally, and means for positively and simultaneously and uniformly adjusting said blade guide members of either set toward or away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby the moving blades automatically adjust themselves thereon in correspondence with the adjustment of said blade guide-members.

14. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade. slicing means mounted thereon having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting either set toward and away from e'ach other while the blades are in motion, said pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the. blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves-thereon with the adjustment of said blade guide-members, and means'to spread the pulleys to increase the blade tension and to tension so as to facilitate blade adjustment there- .on as the sets of guide-members are retracted or expanded. 7

15. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a pair of spaced supporting and driving pulleys, of band-blade slicing means mounted therecylindrical and of uniform dimension from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves thereon with the adjustment Pro of said blade guide-members, and means to incourses crossing intermediate the driving pulleys,

ate said pulleys to coact with the said cuttin courses at opposite sides of their crossing zone and adjacent thereto and to guide the blades therein, comprising means to bear against opposite sides of the blades severally, means for positively simultaneously, and uniformly adjusting said blade guide-members toward and away from each other, said. pulleys being common to the several blade reaches and the blade supporting surfaces of said pulleys being cylindrical and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby said blade reaches automatically adjust themselves upon the pulleys upon the adjustment of said blade guide-members, and means to tighten or loosen the blades on the driving pulleys. 1'7. .In a bread slicing machine of the bandblade type, the combination with a plurality of crossed band-blades arranged in figure 8 form, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, spaced sets of blade guide members adjustably disposed intermediate said pulleys to co-act with the oppositely moving reaches of the crossed bandblades at opposite sides of their crossing zone and spaced therefrom and comprising fingers to space and, to a limited extent, twist the blades, means for positively, simultaneously and uniformly laterally adjusting said blade guide members of either set toward-or away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blades and the blade supporting surfaces thereof being smooth and regular and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby the lateral adjustment of said blade guide members while the pulleys are in motion will automatically cause the blades to correspondingly adjust themselves upon the' pulleys, and guiding means for the bread to be sliced whereby it is presented to said blades between the said sets of blade guide members.

18. In a bread slicing machine of the bandblade type, the combination-with a plurality of "crossed band-blades arranged in figure 8 form, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, spaced sets of blade guide members adjustably disposed intermediate said pulleys to .co act with. the oppositely moving reaches of the crossed bandblades at opposite sides of their crossing zone and spaced therefrom and comprising fingers to space and, to a limited extent, twist the blades, and means for positively, simultaneously and uniformly laterally adjusting said blade guide members of either set toward or away from each other, said pulleys being common to the several blades and the blade supporting surfaces thereof being smooth and regular and of uniform diameter from end to end whereby the lateral adjustment of said blade guide members while the pulleys are in motion will automatically cause the blades to correspondingly adjust themselves upon the pulleys.

19. In a bread slicing machine of the bandblade type, the combination with a plurality of band-blades arranged in figure 8 form, of supporting and driving pulleys therefor, spaced sets of blade guide members adjustably disposed intermefiate said pulleys to coact with the oppositely oving reaches of the crossed band-blades, and means for positively, simultaneously and uniformly laterally adjusting said blade guide members either toward or away from each other, said are in motion will automatically cause the blades blades, and means for positively, simultaneously to correspondingly adjust themselves upon the and uniformly laterally adjusting said blade guide pulleys. members oi. either set toward or away from each 20. In a bread slicing machine of the bandother, said pulleys being common to the several 5 blade type,- the combination with a plurality of blades and the blade supporting surfaces thereof 5 band-blades arranged in figure 8 form, of supportbeing smooth and regular and of uniform diaming and driving pulleys therefor, blade guide eter from end to end whereby the lateral adjustmembers adjustably disposed intermediate said ment of said blade guide members while the pulpulleys to co-act with the oppositely moving leys are in motion will automatically cause the 10 reaches of the band-blades at points substantialblades to correspondingly adjust themselves upon 10 ly spaced from their pulleys and comprising flnthe pulleys. gers to space and, to a limited extent, twist the HARRY J.- CRINER. 

